Difference between revisions of "Rafi Eitan"
m (Text replacement - "|wikipedia=http://en.wikipedia.org/" to "|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/") |
(Expanding) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{person | {{person | ||
|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafi_Eitan | |wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafi_Eitan | ||
| − | |constitutes= | + | |constitutes=spook |
| − | |birth_date=1926 | + | |image=Rafi_Eitan.jpg |
| + | |image_width=240px | ||
| + | |birth_date=23 November 1926 | ||
|birth_place=Ein Harod, Mandatory Palestine | |birth_place=Ein Harod, Mandatory Palestine | ||
| + | |birth_name=Raphael "Rafi" Hantman | ||
| + | |death_date=23 March 2019 | ||
|political_parties=Gil | |political_parties=Gil | ||
| + | |alma_mater=London School of Economics | ||
|employment= | |employment= | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | + | '''Rafael "Rafi" Eitan''' was an [[Israeli]] intelligence agent, best known for coordinating the [[Mossad]] operation that led to the arrest of [[Adolf Eichmann]] in May 1960.<ref>''[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jun/08/secondworldwar.usa "Why Israel's capture of Eichmann caused panic at the CIA"]''</ref> | |
| + | |||
| + | Rafi Eitan's career in the [[Mossad]], heading or involved in many secret operations, included unmasking [[Israel Beer]], a former Lieutenant-Colonel in the [[IDF]] found to be spying for the [[Soviet Union]]; thwarting German armaments sales to [[Egypt]]; involvement in the diversion of highly enriched uranium from an American nuclear fuel plant (“The Apollo Affair”); advising [[Britain]]'s [[MI6]] on [[counterterrorism]] operations in [[Northern Ireland]]; helping [[Morocco|Moroccan]] ruler King Hassan II to make a political rival in [[Paris]] “disappear”; and planning the Israeli Air Force attack on the [[Iraq]]i [[Osirak]] nuclear reactor in June 1981.<ref>''[https://www.jpost.com/Jerusalem-Report/The-spymasters-tale-415725 "The spymaster’s tale"]''</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Lekem== | ||
| + | In 1981, Rafi Eitan was named head of the Defence Ministry's [[Lekem]], the [[Bureau for Scientific Relations]], replacing Israeli spy-master [[Benjamin Blumberg]], where he continued work on [[counterterrorism]] collecting scientific and technical intelligence information from other countries through [[espionage]].<ref>''[https://archive.org/details/gideonsspiessecr00thom_0/page/n5/mode/2up "Gideon's Spies - The Secret History of the Mossad"]''</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Jonathan Pollard=== | ||
| + | In June 1984, Eitan was responsible for an [[espionage]] operation against the [[United States]] during which he recruited Naval Intelligence Analyst [[Jonathan Pollard]] to steal American intelligence material. The operation lasted eighteen months and was shut down after the arrest of [[Jonathan Pollard|Pollard]] in the US in 1985. His arrest revealed the existence of [[Lekem]] to the [[US]] authorities. [[Jonathan Pollard|Pollard]] was convicted and served 30 years of a life sentence.<ref>''[https://www.timesofisrael.com/peres-and-rabin-knew-pollard-was-planted-in-us-armed-forces/ "Peres, Rabin knew Pollard was planted in US armed forces, handler says"]''</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Richard Smyth=== | ||
| + | Also in 1985 in [[California]], an aerospace engineer, [[Richard Kelly Smyth]], the president of a company called [[MILCO]], was indicted for smuggling over 800 krytrons to [[Israel]] without the required [[US State Department]] Munitions Export License. Because of their potential for use as triggers of [[nuclear weapons]], the export of krytrons is tightly regulated in the [[United States]]. A number of cases involving the smuggling or attempted smuggling of krytrons have been reported, as countries seeking to develop [[nuclear weapons]] have attempted to procure supplies of krytrons for igniting their weapons. Just before trial, and facing a possible 105 years in prison, [[Richard Smyth]] and his wife suddenly disappeared. Sixteen years later they were discovered and arrested while living as fugitives in Málaga, [[Spain]], and extradited back to the [[United States]] where he was convicted in the case. The krytrons shipped by Smyth were sent to an Israeli company called [[Heli-Trading Ltd]] owned by prominent Israeli movie producer [[Arnon Milchan]].<ref>''[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/800-nuclear-triggers-smuggled-to-israel-mastermind-untouchable---secret-fbi-files-143812826.html "800 Nuclear Triggers Smuggled to Israel, Mastermind Untouchable - Secret FBI Files"]''</ref> Before his prominent Hollywood career, [[Arnon Milchan|Milchan]] had served for decades as a [[Lekem]] agent, under the direct command of Eitan's predecessor, [[Benjamin Blumberg]]. It later became clear that the company [[MILCO]] served as a [[Lekem]] front company for obtaining sensitive equipment, technologies and materials for [[Israeli]] secret defence-related programs, and in particular its nuclear program.<ref>''[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/business/global/new-book-tells-tale-of-israeli-arms-dealer-in-hollywood.html "New Book Recounts Tale of Israeli Agent at Home in Hollywood"]''</ref> | ||
{{SMWDocs}} | {{SMWDocs}} | ||
| − | + | ==References== | |
| + | <references/> | ||
Revision as of 14:12, 25 January 2021
 Rafi Eitan    (spook) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Raphael "Rafi" Hantman 23 November 1926 Ein Harod, Mandatory Palestine |
| Died | 23 March 2019 (Age 92) |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics |
| Founder of | Front for the Liberation of Lebanon from Foreigners |
| Interest of | Virgilio Barco Vargas |
| Party | Gil |
Rafael "Rafi" Eitan was an Israeli intelligence agent, best known for coordinating the Mossad operation that led to the arrest of Adolf Eichmann in May 1960.[1]
Rafi Eitan's career in the Mossad, heading or involved in many secret operations, included unmasking Israel Beer, a former Lieutenant-Colonel in the IDF found to be spying for the Soviet Union; thwarting German armaments sales to Egypt; involvement in the diversion of highly enriched uranium from an American nuclear fuel plant (“The Apollo Affair”); advising Britain's MI6 on counterterrorism operations in Northern Ireland; helping Moroccan ruler King Hassan II to make a political rival in Paris “disappear”; and planning the Israeli Air Force attack on the Iraqi Osirak nuclear reactor in June 1981.[2]
Contents
Lekem
In 1981, Rafi Eitan was named head of the Defence Ministry's Lekem, the Bureau for Scientific Relations, replacing Israeli spy-master Benjamin Blumberg, where he continued work on counterterrorism collecting scientific and technical intelligence information from other countries through espionage.[3]
Jonathan Pollard
In June 1984, Eitan was responsible for an espionage operation against the United States during which he recruited Naval Intelligence Analyst Jonathan Pollard to steal American intelligence material. The operation lasted eighteen months and was shut down after the arrest of Pollard in the US in 1985. His arrest revealed the existence of Lekem to the US authorities. Pollard was convicted and served 30 years of a life sentence.[4]
Richard Smyth
Also in 1985 in California, an aerospace engineer, Richard Kelly Smyth, the president of a company called MILCO, was indicted for smuggling over 800 krytrons to Israel without the required US State Department Munitions Export License. Because of their potential for use as triggers of nuclear weapons, the export of krytrons is tightly regulated in the United States. A number of cases involving the smuggling or attempted smuggling of krytrons have been reported, as countries seeking to develop nuclear weapons have attempted to procure supplies of krytrons for igniting their weapons. Just before trial, and facing a possible 105 years in prison, Richard Smyth and his wife suddenly disappeared. Sixteen years later they were discovered and arrested while living as fugitives in Málaga, Spain, and extradited back to the United States where he was convicted in the case. The krytrons shipped by Smyth were sent to an Israeli company called Heli-Trading Ltd owned by prominent Israeli movie producer Arnon Milchan.[5] Before his prominent Hollywood career, Milchan had served for decades as a Lekem agent, under the direct command of Eitan's predecessor, Benjamin Blumberg. It later became clear that the company MILCO served as a Lekem front company for obtaining sensitive equipment, technologies and materials for Israeli secret defence-related programs, and in particular its nuclear program.[6]
Event Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herzliya Conference/2009 | 2 February 2009 | 4 February 2009 | Reichman University Tel Aviv Israel |
Related Document
| Title | Type | Publication date | Author(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document:The plot to blow up El Al Flight 016 | Article | 6 April 2019 | Marianne Colloms Dick Weindling | Two weeks after Nezar Hindawi's trial, French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac was interviewed on tape by Arnaud de Borchgrave, the editor of the Washington Times. When he was asked about the attempt to blow up the El Al plane Chirac said he had been told by the West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher that they believe it had been set up by Mossad agents to destabilise Syria's Assad regime. |
References
- ↑ "Why Israel's capture of Eichmann caused panic at the CIA"
- ↑ "The spymaster’s tale"
- ↑ "Gideon's Spies - The Secret History of the Mossad"
- ↑ "Peres, Rabin knew Pollard was planted in US armed forces, handler says"
- ↑ "800 Nuclear Triggers Smuggled to Israel, Mastermind Untouchable - Secret FBI Files"
- ↑ "New Book Recounts Tale of Israeli Agent at Home in Hollywood"
